Described by a scholar in 1925 as the "plague spot of American politics" and by others in 1989 as a "still-forgotten government," the American county is an increasingly important but often neglected and maligned unit of local government. Interest in the American county is growing--especially as federal and state governments increasingly shift functional duties and responsibilities to local governments. Menzel and his colleagues provide a state-of-the-art review of major issues and problems facing American counties. Through this contemporary and comprehensive treatment, they expand the knowledge base and identify gaps in our understanding of counties as political and governmental bodies.

Donald C. Menzel is Professor of Public Administration and Political Science at the University of South Florida. John P. Thomas is the Executive Director of the American Society for Public Administration and former Executive Director of the National Association of Counties.

"In The American County, Menzel and his colleagues have advanced the frontier of county government research, a frontier that has lagged behind city government research. The growing importance of counties as service providers in both urban and rural areas and their emergence as regional entities add to the timeliness of this volume."